Peacock Butterfly

The Peacock (Inachis io), more commonly known simply as the Peacock butterfly, is a colourful butterfly, found in Europe, temperate Asia as far east as Japan. The Peacock butterfly is resident in much of its range, often wintering in buildings or trees. It therefore often appears quite early in spring.

The butterfly hibernates over winter before laying its eggs in early spring, in batches of up to 500 at a time. The caterpillars, which are shiny black with six rows of barbed spikes and a series of white dots on each segment, hatch after about a week and feed on nettles and hops.

The Peacock can be found in woods, fields, meadows, pastures, parks, and gardens, and from lowlands up to 8,200 feet (2,500 m) elevation. It is a relatively common butterfly seen in many European parks and gardens.